Losing Her Way
by fourty53143
Summary: My predictions on what Clare will be going through this season.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. So this story is gonna be all about my predictions (based on the promos) for Clare and her family and stuff.**

**Honestly, I don't know how often I'll be able to update. I try really, REALLY hard to write, but I have a shitload of homework and it's hard to balance that, a social life, and this. But because this is about my predictions, I'm going to try to write as much as possible before the next episode. ARE YOU EXCITED FOR FRIDAY? ECLARE :D Anyway, I also tend to write when I'm really overtired and sometimes things don't make sense, so sorry about that :)

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"So, my parents want you to come over for dinner tonight," Clare mumbled to her boyfriend, looking at the ground.

Eli smirked, amused by how embarrassed Clare seemed to be. Her cheeks were a bright shade of red, and she avoided eye contact with him. Eli tilted Clare's chin up with his thumb, forcing her to look at him, and chuckled as her cheeks became even redder. "And why would _that _be a problem?"

"Because… you said that you want them to like you. And they know that I was with you after the awards, so they probably won't be too thrilled to know you."

Eli's smirk grew. "Clare, I'm _Eli! _Elijah Goldsworthy. Parents happen to love this smirk. Your parents will _love_ me. Trust me. Just… don't worry, okay? Lil' old me won't let you down."

Clare looked up, not sure if what he said was true. "I don't care if they like you or not- it's not going to change my opinion on you, or stop me from talking to you or anything, but you want them to like you, remember? After the awards, you told me that. I just… I want you to be happy."

Eli felt his stomach flip, hitting his heart, which caused it to skip a beat. "You don't need to worry about me being happy, Clare. Especially about this. Even if they _hate _me, want me _dead,_ I will still find a way to get them to _love _me."

Clare tilted her head sideways, amused by Eli's logic. "If they hate you, they'll love you...?" She raised her eyebrow, challenging him a bit.

Eli jokingly rolled his eyes, and then wrapped his arm around Clare's shoulder. His body felt like it was on fire, like up until he touched Clare, he was freezing, but didn't notice until the warmth of Clare's body made him feel like he was sitting by a fireplace on a cold, snowy day [HA HA kind of cheesy paragraph, but I'm too lazy to think of another simile].

Clare felt like her body was on fire, too. But she also felt safe, like nothing could be wrong when she was close to Eli. All her negative feelings just seemed to fade away- her parents' fighting, missing Alli, everything… just _gone. _Maybe that's why she wanted Eli at her house so badly, so her parents would maybe get along for one night. It was like Eli had magical powers or something.

They stayed pressed together for a long time, and Eli eventually kissed the top of Clare's head. "I better get you home." He pulled away when he felt Clare nod her head, but noticed a sadness that was playing in Clare's eyes, something that he didn't see earlier.

Clare looked up at Eli, feeling his eyes burning a hole through her. "What?" She asked, weakly smiling.

"How bad is it at home?" Eli asked, concern etched in his voice. He took Clare's hand, squeezing it a little when she looked down.

"B-bad… I mean, not violent or anything, but they yell… a lot. Well, at least when my dad's _actually _home." Clare felt tears spring to her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, not wanting Eli to notice.

But Eli did notice. He put his arm back around Clare. "You still have my headphones, right?"

Clare nodded. Eli continued, "Put them on as soon as you get into your house, and I'll be there by seven. Okay? Time will _fly by._"

"Okay," Clare squeaked, letting Eli take her hand and lead her to Morty. Eli got into the passenger seat, and the two headed towards Clare's house.

As she rode in Morty, Clare started to feel nervous. She _really _didn't want to walk in through her front door and hear even _more _fighting or be forced to listen to her mom's bitching about how her father is always late, how a _good _husband would make time for his family.

But she found herself right in front of her house a few minutes later, so she forced herself to unbuckle her seatbelt and turn to Eli. "Thanks for the ride, Eli. I'll see you… in a few hours?"

Eli smirked and gave Clare a quick kiss. Clare took advantage of that, and pulled Eli back into a more passionate kiss, debating on forcing her tongue into his mouth or not. But before she could finish that thought, Eli's tongue slid across Clare's bottom lip, and she shakily opened her mouth wider, suddenly shy. _I swear, his kisses could _kill _me, they're so good._

Eli hesitantly pulled away, a bit paranoid that Clare's parents would be spying on them with binoculars or something. "I'll see you _really _soon."

"Clare, honey, Eli's here!" Clare jumped up,

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**Maybe I'll write the next chapter ****(will be much longer) ****tonight, but I need to finish my homework first! Let me know what you think :D**


	2. Chapter 2

"Clare, Eli is here!" Helen, Clare's mom, called.

Clare had taken her headphones off at exactly 7:00 so she would be able to hear the doorbell. She looked at herself in the mirror before heading downstairs, and realized that she hadn't switched out of her uniform when she got home. _Nice, Clare. Way to make this night _perfect, she thought to herself.

Even though her dad hadn't come home from work yet, Clare still needed Eli's headphones to block out all of the ranting from her mom.

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_"Hi, honey," Helen had said to Clare without turning around. She was getting their dinner ready for later that night._

_ "Hi," Clare responded in the same, irritated tone. Her mother let out a huge, annoyed sigh, so Clare rolled her eyes, averse to what she was about to become- Helen's go-to person for venting- and put her backpack on the kitchen floor. "What's wrong _this_ time?"_

_ "Way to care about your mother, Clare. That tone does _not _sound very caring." Helen rolled her eyes at Clare. "And your father is _still _at work, even though I told him _specifically _to come home early to help clean the house before Eli comes!"_

_ Clare took a deep breath. "Okay, so are you going to complain about this all night when Eli's here? Hmm? Well, I have to go read. And Eli won't care about a messy house."_

_ She stalked up the stairs, and when she got to her bedroom, Clare heard her mom talking about Randall _this_, Randall _that, _complaining about him on the phone with one of her girlfriends. So Clare threw on her headphones and practically counted down the minutes until Eli would be at her house.

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Helen eyed Eli as he smirked at Clare, who was walking down the stairs- fully uniformed. She noted the multiple rings on his fingers, the dark wardrobe, the black eyeliner, and his _pants,_ all stereotyping him into the 'emo' category that she would always hear about on the streets.

Eli could feel Helen's eyes on him, how she had already judged him, but he ignored it, hoping that her thoughts on him would change by the end of the night. He promised himself that he wouldn't start any more bullshit. He realized that he _needed _Clare, and she wouldn't stay with him if he got into any fights or anything. But still, he couldn't help but talk to her in his head. _Enjoying the view, _Helen?

Clare looked at her mom, still watching Eli suspiciously, then to Eli, who had a _your-mom-will-love-me,-don't-worry _look attached to his smirk, and then she sighed. She knew that her mom would make an effort to be polite to Eli, but it was only expected that someone would end up saying something wrong.

After a few minutes of silence- awkward for Helen and Clare, but a bit amusing for Eli-, Helen cleared her throat. "You two… should go sit down, and I'll go put your dinner in the warming drawer since your father is _still _not here." Helen rolled her eyes as she brought up her husband and ignored the warning look that Clare shot at her.

After Helen sat down with the two teenagers, a period of an awkward silence was born. Eli started some small talk, but it was _terribly _awkward for all of them.

Suddenly, they all heard the door open. _"There_ is your father, Clare," Helen said. She waited for Randall to walk in, and the two started bickering. "You're late."

"Sorry. Hi, Clare, pumpkin! Hi… Eli." More awkwardness.

"Where were you?" Helen snapped.

"I got caught up with _work,_ Helen! You know, in the _real world?_ I can't just come home from work whenever I want like you can with your church fundraisers!" Randall bit back, glaring at Helen.

"Can you guys go get our food now? Like… now?" Clare practically yelled. It caused Helen and Randall to jump, but Eli only raised his eyebrows. When her parents were turned away from her and Eli, Clare felt Eli's eyes, once again, on her. "What?"

Eli didn't say anything, but he gave her a sympathetic, sad, little smile. It said, "I can see right through you, Clare. I may not understand _exactly _what is going on in your head, but I know that this is killing you inside. But it will be over soon."

Clare returned a sad smile and looked down.

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**I'm sorry but I really need to do some homework now, so I'll upload another chapter either later tonight or tomorrow. Sorry it's so short!**


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